SUMMARY of a great experience

Hi there,

back in Mendoza, on 750m and almost 35 celsius. Only 3 days after summit push at -25 degrees.

The disappointment about the turn-around on 6500m slowly fades away.

2 weeks of a unique experience come to and end. 12 days to get to 6000m high camp. Almost 2 weeks in a 2x2m tent with a person I havent met before. New friends. Lots of emotions when 3 of our fellows were helicoptered out only 4 days into the journey. Growing exposure to cold and lack of oxygene. I always felt strong and good.

Storms shaking the little yellow "lightbulb", as I called it, when the first sunrays lit the tent in bright lemon color. Everyday´s blue sky, sudden weather changes in the high camps 1 and 2, with snowfall from one minute to the next.

Didnt sleep more than 4hrs in average for the entire time on the mountain. Bloody altitude.
12 days of the same crackers, sausage, ham and cheese. Powdered milk and juice, tea and yerba mate. Somewhat of a overdose after a while. I spare the poo-bag part - an experience in itself. But great to see the mountain so clean. People that did Kilimanjaro, were pleasantly surprised.

And then the summit day. Still hurts to think back of standing on 6500m - half way up, the summit so close, but so far - having to turn around. Cold, dizzy, slow. Seeing my 3 mates and 2 guides move on is hard. Tears. It helps a bit to know that 4 fellows and 2 guides had to stop, too, before me. I did the right thing. Bad day, no luck.

The UNICEF banner made it to the top with Shawn and Bauty. Thanks guys!!

Will I ever return and try again? Hard to tell. It is a huge effort, much harder than I thought. Amazing and freightening at once. You give up the normal life for 2 weeks. No water, no toilet, no bed, no space, cold, basic food, no clean clothes, no oxygen, no sleep ..... . This makes you realise what a good life we have back home.

Thanks to those who supported my collectionfor Pampers / UNICEF!

Adios
Jan

Summit Attempt

SUnday 3 January: We leave Camp Cholera at 5.30am for the summit. I dont feel good.
It is very cold. The tent is frozen inside form the breathing humidity. A pain to get dressed. 3 of us trun around at 6200m.

AT 6200m my hands are so cold, need to trick around with more gloves and can hardly hold walking sticks. I reach INdependencia at 6400m after 3 hrs. I am not good at all. dizzy, sick, headache. I try to move on , but unfortunately need to turn around at 6500m. Very sad and disappointing, but thats the mountain reality

3 of our group make it to summit, including the UNICEF banner. Hope to get pictures tomorrow.

JAn

Catch up: Camp 2 & 3

We etsablished food depot on camp 2 (5500m) and returned to camp 1. Rest day followed. All good, but boring to lay around in a tent for a day.
Then went up to super nice camp 2 and day later to camp 3 (Cholera). Cold.
Not too many issues with altitude, but it gtes tough up here. Cant sleep.

Jan

New Altitude record

Hi.

Yesterday we brought 15kg food each to the Camp 1 on 5000m. Went very well for me, no issues at all. This sets my new personal alt record. Funny to walk and gradually pass Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc.

Today is rest day in basecamp. Extremely windy and cold, so we are lucky!! Tomorrow we finally leave BC for the high camps.

I fell good and am excited that "the real thing" now starts.

Adios
Jan

Setback for team

Hola.

bad news : We lost Inessa, Luke and Nick - who all developed HPAE and had to be flown back down. We are now 8 left. Today is a rest day - all the rest of the team did a final mediacl check today and is strong.

Hope not to have more bad enews.

I feel very good.

Jan

BASE CAMP

HI there. Greetings form basecamp. Feeling super good on 4200m, Sun shines nonstop. Waiting for tomorrow to carry 20kg food up to camp 1. Tough, but looking fwd to move on.
Super group here, and all are feeling OK. Food is fantastic and better than what I get in GVA. Just head a great Argentinian steak for lunch ;-)

If only the pee-ing wouldnt be so present. Drinking 6L a day calls for a price. Amazing, though, to have enough drinking water up here. Complete desert with no plant or tree. that makes one appreciate the basics.

Hope to be able to send more news in 2 days (another rest day in basecasmp). The we leave for higher level.

Ciao
Jan

The last Steak

Hi there.

the group is together. Young folks from all over the place.
We had a fun dinner yesterday, each killing a gigantic Argentinain Steak and a few glasses of Red.
Folks are ready and enthousiastic. Today we go to Penitentes, from there the walk starts as of tomorrow. But first, buying permits, renting missing gear and 4 hrs of drive.

My bag is still not here. Seems it arrives this afternoon. I have hardly ever crossed my fingers so much.

As of now, communication gets a bit more difficult. Next internet point is in Base camp, 4 days away.... fons dont work as of this evening.

Greetings
Jan